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Pamir Highway and Lenin Peak Season: End of June-August

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Pamir Highway and Lenin Peak Season: End of June-August program: Pamir Highway and Lenin Peak Season: end of June-August Day 1 (23.06.2018) Departure from EUROPE Day 2. (24.06.2018) Arrival at Dushanbe. Early arrival in Dushanbe. Meeting the group at the airport. Transfer to the hotel. Accommodation. Rest. Excursion about the city. Visit to Gurminj Museum of traditional musical instruments and Museum of Antiquities, a wonderful of Buddhist art from the lost cities of Kushan empire, the Greco-Bactrian school of art from various sites along the Oxus and elsewhere, with great Buddha in Nirvana (After destroying of Bamian Buddha in Afghanistan this is the biggest in Central Asia). Overnight stay at the hotel. (Changes of altitudes during the day: in Dushanbe – 800 m). Day 3. (25.06.2018) Dushanbe - Kalai-Humb (350 km, 6-7 hrs driving) Departure to Pamirs via Kulyab region or via Tawildara and Khaburabad pass (depends of the road and weather condition). We can see more conservative attitudes of this region in local dressing style and beards, but the hospitality is just as welcoming. We pass over Khaburabad mountain pass to Kalaikhum and the scenery and the people change again. The people here are Badakhshanis with their own languages. There are seven different languages used in Tajik Pamirs. Kalaikhum sits on the Panj River, a major tributary of the famous Amu Darya (Oxus) River. Accommodation in the hotel. (Changes of altitudes during the day: Dushanbe - 800 m, highest point on the pass - 3720 m, end of day in Kaila-Humb - 1200 m). Day 4. (26.06.2018) Kalai-Humb – Khorog - Ishkashim (380 km, 8-9 hrs driving) The road will follow near Panj River, a tributary of the mighty Amu Darya (the famous River Oxus). During this entire trip, we will see Afghanistan from right side across the river, where the big difference of lifestyle of Afghan and Tajik Pamirs is visible. We will see the effort of the Afghanis to have their first highway that is built with no machinery. Khorog is the administrative centre of the Pamir region, dramatically set deep in the valley at the confluence of the Panj and Ghunt rivers and boxed in by the mountain peaks. Not far from Khorog (45 km) there are the famous Mineral Hot Spring-Garm Chashma and Ruby Mines of Khu i Lal (where Badakhshani rubies were mined as early as 14th century). The road to Ishkashim is smooth journey. Ishkashim is a small town at the mouth of the Wakhan corridor, where the 19th century Great Game ended. Continue up the north side of the river with amazing views of the Pamirs to the left and the Hindu Kush to the right; a number of peaks in view are above 6,000m. If you are lucky and you arrive to Ishkashim on Saturday, you can see the Crosse border Tajik-Afghan market on the Afghan side. For crossing to the market, you do not need an Afghan visa. Family run accommodation. (Changes of altitudes during the day: Kaila-Humb – 1200 m, highest point - 2500 m, end of day in Ishkashim - 2500 m). Day 5. (27.06.2018) Ishkashim – Hissor Village (150 km/5-6 hrs driving including excursions) On the way visit to one of old fortress in Silk Rode-Kah-Kaha in Namadgut, museum of Sufi Muborak- kadami Vakhani, a local Sufi scholar, theologian, poet and traveller, who died in 1910. Near his house, there is a stone pillar with a hole, which he used to calculate a solar calendar and a local house with inscriptions and decorations made by the scholar. On the way we will also visit Buddhist Stupa in Vrang, sacred hot springs of Bibi Fatima Zahra, ruins of Yamchun fortress (IV-III B.C.) that once guarded Pamir branch of the Great Silk Road. Family run accommodation. (Changes of altitudes during the day: Ishkashim - 2500 m, highest point - 2900 m, end of day in Zong - 2900 m). Day 6. (28.06.2018) Trekking (12 km, 5-6 hrs) The ascent towards the peak Engels (6510m) on the way visit Petroglyphs, a large number of them here. Picnic on the way and continuation of the route to the green glade at a height of 4100m, where is located tent camp. In place of spending the night you can admire the peaks of Karl Marx, Engels and a wonderful panorama of the Afghan Hindu Kush mountains. Overnight in tents. (Changes of altitudes during the day: Zong - 2900 m, end of day in tent camp - 4100 m). Day 7. (29.06.2018) Trekking (5-6 hours) Breakfast. Full day radial trekking in the area of Engels Peak to the view point of Karl Marx and Moskovskaya Pravda Mounts. Picnic for lunch. Dinner in the camp. Overnight in tents. (Changes of altitudes during the day: tent camp 4100 m, highest point 4500 m, end of day in the tent camp 4100 m). Day 8. (30.06.2018) Trekking (12 km, 4-5 hrs and driving 1 hour) Walk up the canyon, where you can admire the peaks of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. Lunch. The descent back to the path of recovery in the village Langar. Accommodation, dinner and overnight at the homestay Davlatkhon (Hissor Village). (Changes of altitudes during the day: tent camp 4100 m, highest point in canyon 4400 m, end of day in Hissor Village 2800 m). Day 9. (1.07.2018) Hissor Village – Alichur – Murghab – 250 km 7-8 hrs We get a chance to explore the amazing landscape of this area. We drive up to Murgab via the Kargushi Pass (4344 meters). Moving on, we cross a second high-altitude pass, Naziatash Pass (4137 metres). On this journey we leave behind the lush valleys of the Wakhan Valley and enter a landscape that is rocky, mostly barren but nevertheless dramatic. This is the Pamir Highway we have anticipated, with the route between Khorog and Osh completed in 1931 across a Tibetan-plateau style high altitude terrain. (Changes of altitudes during the day: Hissor Village 2800 m , Alichur 3991 m, end of day in Murgab 3630 m, highest point 3991 m). Day 10: (2.07.2018) Murghab - Karakul Lake - “Kyzyl-art” border point ,190 км 4-5 hrs Base camp of Lenin Peak 150 km (about 3 hour driving and plus time for border formalities) The views of mountains and glaciers along the way today are simply breath-taking as the road takes us to the Ak Baital Pass (The White Horse Pass 4655m). This is the highest pass in the former USSR, real “The Roof of the World” and the hidden site in this expanse of arid landscape is the stunning Karakul Lake, created millions of years ago. Short stop in Karakul village. Continue driving to Kyzyl-Art border point. Border formalities. Changing cars and driver. Continue trip in Kyrgyzstan. Transfer to the base camp of Lenin Peak, which is second highest mount in Kyrgyzstan – 7139 m. Picnic for lunch. Accommodation in fixed tent in the base camp. Dinner in the camp. (Changes of altitudes during the day: Karakul 4230 m, highest point Kyzyl-Art 4282 m, end of day in the base camp – 3600 m) Day 11 (3.07.2018) Base camp of Lenin Peak. A whole day in the base camp. Hiking towards the Lenin Peak. Overnight in the tents. Option 1 for this day. For people with good hiking experience is possible to do to the first camp of climbers on altitude 4250 m. Start from 3600 m, highest point 4250 m. The same way trekking back. Lunch will be in the camp on altitude 4250 m. Option 2 for this day. Soft walking excursion to local shepherds ,who stays whole summer in the are of Peak Lenin. (Changes of altitudes during the day: Lenin Base camp – 3600 m) Day 12 (4.07.2018) Base camp – Gulcho - Osh (230 km, 5-6 hours driving) Breakfast. Transfer to Gulcho village. Meeting with Kyrgyz family from Kichi-Alai gorge. Lunch with family. Continue trip to Osh. Visiting the Holly Suleiman Mount, which is in the center of the city. By the legent King Salomon (for Muslims- King Suleiman) crossed the are of the Ferganna valley and had the rest on the top of Suleiman Mount. After his visit local people began to build the house around and established the city Osh. Dinner. Overnight stay at the hotel. (Changes of altitudes during the day: Lenin Base camp – 3600 m, highest point Taldyk Pass – 3620, end of day in osh – 800 m) Day 13 (5.07.2018) Osh – Bishkek (38 km, 1 hours driving) Breakfast. Morning flight to Bishkek. Flight time is 1 hour. Arrival in Bishkek. City tour arount Bishkek with visiting Osh bazaar, Central Square, Manas monument and the park. Lunch during city tour. Farewell dinner at the restaurant. Overnight stay at the hotel. (Changes of altitudes during the day: Osh is 800 m, Bishkek is 800 m) Day 14 (6.07.2018) Transfer to the airport early in the morning. Fly home. Level of difficulty: There are no difficulties on the route, but tourists should have an average level of fitness because sometimes they have long transfers 4-5 hours by mountain roads. Conditions: It is necessary to bring warm clothes, trekking boots, rain coat and etc. Weight of personal things is not limited. Service is included: 1. Transport by the program in Tajikistan: - Two minibuses 4x4 Hyundai Starex for the group 6-9 pax Transport by the program in Kyrgyzstan: - Local Mercedes Sprinter for the group 6-9 pax 2. English speaking guide for Tajik and Kyrgyz parts 3.
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